BriTanya Brown: A Fresh Face For District 71 

Views expressed by the author are their own and are not representative of the Herald or McMurry University.

At last week’s Black History Month luncheon, I had the pleasure of meeting a truly remarkable woman. BriTanya Brown is a people-focused, honest, and ambitious leader who left a strong impression on everyone she spoke with. While at the event, she was sharing campaign cards for her run as an independent candidate for Texas House District 71, and her passion for serving the community was both clear and compelling. I had the opportunity to secure an interview with Brown about her upcoming campaign and gained valuable insight into her vision for Texas and her priorities behind running for office. Throughout our interview, she shared many thoughtful points about the change she envisions for Texas, perspectives that are especially important to consider as we enter this voting season.  

Brown is running as an independent candidate, meaning she will not be participating in the Republican or Democratic primary. Instead, her focus is on building confidence and legitimacy within the community. As a mother and dedicated leader, Brown is working to earn the trust of young voters and working families while gathering the 500 signatures needed to secure a place on the ballot. 

She says her initial inspiration to run for district office was adulthood. “When I was a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed first-generation college student, I thought if I just worked hard enough everything would line up. Then real life hit… I remember sitting in my dorm room singing “Ain’t it fun living in the real world? Ain’t it fun being all alone?” [Paramore’s “Ain’t it Fun] and thinking… this is not fun. No one tells you how fast you go from student to responsible-for-everything. That gap between doing everything right and still feeling like the system isn’t built for you is what inspired me to run.”  

Brown’s message to students and working families is rooted in lived experience and urgency. She believes the difference in her campaign comes down to a simple idea: Texas should care for the people who are working hard to build it. “My message is simple: We are all working hard to build a strong Texas. It’s time Texas cared for us too… Degrees matter. Careers matter. Businesses matter. But our value as human beings matters more.” 

At just 30 years old, Brown says she still vividly remembers the uncertainty many students face while making life-shaping decisions about majors, careers, and debt. She points to rising economic pressures and rapid technological change as reasons why new leadership perspectives are needed. “We’re in the age of AI. Entire industries are shifting,” Brown explained. With a background in national voter programs, coalition building, and policy work in childcare, maternal health, housing, and infrastructure, she believes her experience positions her to understand the challenges facing young adults. “I don’t speak for people. I speak with them. That’s what co-governance looks like.” 

If elected, Brown says her top priority is fixing what she calls the state’s “care system” through a people-first approach. She argues that essential services such as childcare, schools, hospitals, and elder care have become overly politicized while families continue to struggle. “Our economy should not thrive on our sickness. It should thrive on our wellness,” she said. Brown believes that making health care, childcare, and housing more affordable would allow young adults to build wealth rather than simply survive paycheck to paycheck. 

Her broader vision outlines a Texas where core supports are more accessible and sustainable. She advocates for affordable childcare and health care regardless of ZIP code, paid leave protection, fully funded public schools based on enrollment, and stronger wages/benefits for education and care workers. Brown also emphasizes keeping rural hospitals open, expanding broadband access, strengthening the power grid against extreme weather, and ensuring energy development reinvests in rural communities. 

What sets Brown apart, she says, is her community-based approach. “I’m a community organizer through and through,” Brown said. She describes her campaign as family-friendly and community-centered, often hosting events with bounce houses, board games, and arts and crafts so parents can engage while children play.  

Brown traces her decision to run for office to years of watching working families struggle despite doing everything “right.” She previously launched a national effort called A Day Without Childcare to highlight the financial strain facing both providers and parents. “At some point, I realized I could either keep knocking on the Capitol door or I could run for a seat at the table,” she said. Regardless of the election outcome, Brown hopes her campaign leaves a lasting impact on community connection and civic engagement. “My goal is to make sure people feel seen and heard,” she said. “A good leader does not need a title to lead. They just do.” 

As an Independent candidate, Brown will not appear on the March primary ballot. Instead, she is currently working to collect 500 signatures from registered voters in District 71 who did not vote in the primary. Beginning March 4, she plans to actively gather petition signatures to secure a spot on the November 2026 ballot while continuing voter registration and outreach efforts. 

Brown says students and community members can find her online, on social media, and, quite possibly, at a local coffee shop. Her campaign leans heavily into digital organizing, aiming to meet young voters where they already are. “I know political fatigue is real,” she said. “I’m not trying to overwhelm anyone. I’m trying to make civic engagement feel human again.” 

She closed her message with a direct note to students: “You are the working families I’m fighting for. One day you’ll be paying rent, maybe buying a house, maybe raising kids, maybe caring for your parents. The policies we pass now will shape how hard or how joyful that season of life feels. Adulthood is not always fun. But building something better together? That can be, and I believe Texas is ready for that.”